I Live In West MI.
Five Surprises About Fixing A Flooded Home.
It’s supposed to be a once-in-a-century event, but the torrential rains crumbled roads and flooded basements in Holland, MI in 2009. For the second June in a row, a nighttime deluge that fell at the rate of several inches per hour stranded cars across the region and saw kayakers paddling through downtown Holland. The storm left gaping caverns where roads used to be, sending chunks of pavement and culverts floating away. Stalled cars littered roads & became impassable. Thousands were without power at one point and it wasn’t a hurricane, it was just a severe, torrential rain storm.
The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, a devastating storm, is still bringing devastation to the Texas coast with the aftermath of its torrential 185 mile per hour winds and rains. Over 60 people were killed at last count, countless more injured and homeless and it has everyone wondering: What will it take to repair the damage and devastation that is left in its wake? On top of that, we have Hurricane Irma, a category 5 storm coming up the Florida Coast. And now we have 2 more following along the same pathma, Jose, and Kalia.
While cleanup efforts can’t really get under way until the storm has passed, remediation companies in the surrounding areas are poised to spring into action once the floodwaters have receded. Only what, exactly, will these companies do? Here are a few surprising facts about fixing a flooded home.
1. A flooded home can be fixed. 
Despite what you might think, a flooded home can be saved rather than razed to the ground, but removing the moisture quickly is key. “The biggest thing is getting in there and getting it cleaned up quickly,” says Robyn Kent, claims administrator at Dalworth Restoration, based in Euless, TX. “Closer to the three to five-day mark is when it becomes questionable, since by then, all the materials have become fragile.”
2. You would be amazed what can be saved.
“Using truck-mounted vacuums with 2,000 horsepower, and dehumidifiers, we can extract moisture from furniture, hardwood, tile, even Sheetrock,” Kent says. Even electronics like TVs and laptops may still operate after a thorough drying.”In fact, when carpet gets wet, people think it’s ruined, but it actually ends up stronger than when it was made,” Kent says.
3. Mold, not water, is the real problem.
“One of the biggest problems is going to be mold,” says Tyler Drew, a Los Angeles Real 
Estate agent and investor. “The longer a house sits with water, the worse the mold infestation. Affected areas have to be removed, the wood and concrete treated with anti-mold agents, and all of this has to be done after the house is sealed, in order to prevent the infestation from spreading and sickening people.”
4. Repairing a flooded home will cost you.
“Drying off a 2,000 square-foot house in normal conditions may cost over $2,500, while in situations like Harvey and Irma are producing, the job scope expands quickly—and so will costs,” says Peter Duncanson, director of operations and safety with ServiceMaster Restore. While flood insurance may cover the cost of repairs, you should make sure you have the right kind if insurance. Always use professionals when contracting to have any flood repair work completed.
5. Homeowner insurance does not cover all floods.
“Although federal flood insurance is very inexpensive in areas not prone to flooding, most owners do not take out this insurance,” says Bruce Ailion, a Realtor and Attorney in Atlanta. “In the past, the government bailed out these people, but that is far less likely to happen today.” Even if you do have flood insurance, you should make sure what you homeowner insurance does cover. “Many people don’t realize their homeowner insurance doesn’t cover rising water,” says Kent. In other words, “some flood insurance will cover rain water if it comes through your roof, but most of the time, it won’t cover water rising in your home, like what’s happening in Texas or Florida, unless you ask for it specifically.” Reprinted excerpts are from Realtor.com written by Judy Dutton.
